Join the Experience Revolution

Wednesday Feb 11, 2015

On January 14, 2015, Frost & Sullivan presented the Oracle Co-browse team with the 2014 North American Co-browsing Applications Product Leadership Award at an awards gala closing out the Innovate the Way You Innovate event in San Diego, CA.

Accepting the award on behalf of Oracle, Igor Khalatian remarked that 2014 was an exciting year for co-browse technology. LiveLOOK, the company he founded in 2008, was acquired by Oracle with co-browse becoming an important feature of the Oracle Service Cloud solution. The product itself was re-imagined, completely changing the way that businesses can provide live help to online and mobile customers. Oracle Co-browse was designed to be fast and easy-to-use, while addressing the privacy and security concerns of enterprise organizations and supporting the wide range of evolving use cases for screen sharing during a service interaction. The ability to securely co-browse any combination of web, mobile and desktop content is unique to Oracle Co-browse, as is its ability to handle any type of rich web media, including responsive design. This feature, called TrueView, is one of the main reasons Frost & Sullivan recognized Oracle as the leader in co-browsing technology.

Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Ben Gresham noted in a February 11 announcement that, “Oracle Co-browse addressed the challenge of exactly replicating views with the TrueView feature. This solution presents agents with the actual views of the customers’ screens as they have it configured at their end. This is a huge improvement over screen-sharing and regular HTML-based co-browsing solutions because if the customers change display settings, the alterations are transferred to the agents in real time.”

It is exciting to receive this award from Frost & Sullivan, validating that Oracle’s Co-browse solution is meeting an important business need to provide efficient, personalized service to online and mobile customers.

If you’re looking for more information about how Oracle Co-browse compares to screen sharing and HTML-based co-browsing solutions, this outline goes through the differences in detail. Also check out the full report from Frost & Sullivan outlining the industry challenges that the Oracle Service Cloud addresses with its leading Co-browse solution here.

Thursday Jan 29, 2015

Consumer goods (CG) companies and retailers are
asking how they can better engage with millennials to buy their brands and
get them in the store. Given the attractiveness and size of the millennial
market (80 million), Interbrand
and Oracle recently conducted a study to understand millennials from a
behavioral perspective.

The research findings
determined that five segment breaks exist within the millennial generation,
based upon the clustering of their various attitudes and behaviors, each
representing a cluster or “tribe” that behaves similarly: 1.The
Up & Comers, 2. The Mavens, 3. The Eclectics, 4. The Skeptics and 5. The
Trendsetters.

This is just a glimpse into the
subsets within the millennial generation. What quickly becomes clear is that
targeting millenials as a whole is ineffective as they range from financially-dependent teens to married homeowners with kids. By considering these unique
segments and determining which have the most potential for your brand, there’s
an opportunity to build a deeper connection and deliver an experience that will
appeal to the next generation of customers. Here are five themes and technologies that brands need to consider in
order to win millennials:

Friday Dec 05, 2014

As with any industry, there is a lot of lingo involved when talking about field service management. Don’t worry if you don’t know all of the terms: we’re here to help. Here is a glossary of the top ten words and phrases that are frequently used in field service management.

Field service management is the practice of organizing, scheduling, and routing mobile employees. This sort of management is critical to the success of businesses in a wide variety of industries and typically includes a dispatch or call center as well as a field workforce. Field service management is used by companies of all sizes, from smaller organizations with ten mobile employees to large companies with tens of thousands of staff providing services all across the globe every day.

2. Field Technician / Mobile Employee

A mobile employee, referred to as a technician in some industries, is a member of an organization’s mobile workforce. These staffers perform services in the field – at customers’ homes, places of business, or in isolated areas far from population centers. These services are wide-ranging, and can include:

Delivery

Service and repairs

Safety and security

Installation

Maintenance

3. Mobile Workforce

The mobile workforce collectively refers to an organization’s mobile employees. Mobile workforce sizes and types vary greatly between industries and specific companies. For example, some businesses employ only their own field staff while others rely completely on subcontractors. Many rely on a hybrid model, comprised of both direct and third-party mobile employees. One common theme that impacts all mobile workforces is the need to effectively schedule appointments and plan routes so that customers receive the best service possible.

4. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing refers to a method of storing information on remote servers that are accessed through the Internet. When data is stored and processed in the cloud, it can be accessed by any authorized user who has an internet connection. This makes the information globally accessible. The opposite of cloud computing is storing data locally on a personal machine or an in-house server.

5. Software as a Service (SaaS)

Software as a Service, or SaaS, is a model of accessing software via the cloud. All of the data and capabilities of the software are stored in the cloud. Users access the programs and information through the Internet. Simply, SaaS is cloud-based software. It provides an alternative to storing information on individual machines or local servers.

6. Web-Based Application

A web-based application, or app, is accessed through the Internet. The opposite of a web-based application is a locally installed application: one that is downloaded onto a phone, tablet or other device. A good example of this is Gmail, which is Google’s email application. If you visit mail.google.com to access your email, you are using a web-based application. If you download the Gmail app to your iPhone via the iTunes store and then access your mail through the app, you are using a locally installed application.

7. HTML5

HTML5 is a coding language used by developers when they create websites. HTML5 is the newest version of HTML, which is the primary programming language of the Internet. One of the most important elements of HTML5 is the connection it provides to the hardware, enabling access to the camera, GPS chip, storage and other functionality. Another significant feature is its ability to present multimedia content. This content can be successfully accessed and viewed by people who use different browsers and different devices to access the Internet. HTML5 helps preserve formatting and other important aspects on web pages – and helps provide the same experience to diverse users. Many modern web-based applications are built using HTML5.

In software, predictive capabilities refer to the program’s ability to “learn” from data that is put into the system. Some field service management solutions, for example, are able to predict how long a job might take, based on factors like the how long each unique individual requires to perform a certain task and what inventory is available in each technician’s vehicle.

10. Context Aware

When a program is context aware, it means that it provides users with precisely the right information they need – right when they need it. For example, on an iPhone, when a user has the option to input a URL or an email address, the phone offers a ‘.com’ button. This button is available when a URL or email address is requested; it isn’t there when a URL or email address isn’t in use. This capability shows an awareness of context.

Tuesday Nov 25, 2014

When most people in e-commerce talk about B2B they often talk about the consumerization of B2B and things they can relate from their experience in Retail (B2C). I always want to tackle the bigger issues that are very specific to the B2B e-commerce community and the challenges that you face. One of our greatest challenges is the role that our ERP systems play.

The increasing role of the ERP system

The complexity of our ERP systems is one of the key differences between B2B and B2C. The reality is that we have to focus a tremendous amount of resources on integrating the ERP as it is the lifeblood of our company. Think about this:

Integrating to the ERP system(s) will most likely be one of your biggest initial and ongoing cost in your B2B e-commerce project.

Most B2B companies have more than one ERP system because of multiple acquisitions and the time and cost involved in consolidating into a single ERP.

Many of the B2B features that exist on websites today are really just about making ERP functions customer facing.

You may now be asking "With all of that complexity, you see the role of the ERP system increasing?"

ERP the Foundation of a Great Customer Experience

The ERP has a significant role in streamlining interactions with suppliers and customers:

Nearly 40% of all IME manufacturers surveyed believe the ERP is vital as the platform that connects the back office and front office

Nearly 85% of large IME organizations with 5,000 employees or more indicated that their ERP is a vital platform for delivering a good customer experience

IME manufacturers have come to realize that providing superior customer experience has to be one of their top initiative

To improve our Front Office, we have to consider our Back Office.

When you think about it, most B2B e-commerce sites are simply about exposing specific functions of their ERP system to customers.

Take for example the shopping cart. By providing an online shopping cart you move the transaction from your inside sales team entering orders into the ERP, to your customer. By giving them their pricing based on their terms and conditions and contract online moves that function from the back office to your customer.

Customer Facing ERP

Order status, inventory availability by location, ATP (available to promise), taking payments, and even providing the catalog itself is about giving your customers transparency into your back office. Product content used to be housed only in marketing catalogs and cryptic codes in the ERP, now we have customer facing product content.

This transparency started very basic, but take a look at your backlog of customer requests. Do you pick up any patterns related to your ERP? I do not see that stopping. If I am correct in stating the secret of B2B e-commerce is about helping your customers do their job easier on your site then that means giving them more and more access to complete self service. ie More transparency into the ERP. The new Customer Facing ERP.

Thursday Nov 13, 2014

Are you ready for the Cloud? Are you ready to capitalize on fundamental technological, behaviorial, and market shifts?

Then join us at Oracle CloudWorld Boston on Tuesday, December 9 and find out how to modernize your customer service. Featured keynote speakers Ray Wang, CEO, Constellation Research, Jeffrey O. Henley, Vice Chairman, Oracle, and Shawn Price SVP, Global Cloud Go-to-Market, Oracle as well as industry-leading companies will show you how to:

Friday Nov 07, 2014

Now that the U.S. midterm elections have passed, you have to
feel good about getting a break from all the ads regardless of your political
affiliation. That is, unless you live in a state with a run-off.[Read More]

Wednesday Nov 05, 2014

Are you passionate about customer service? Do you fall asleep at night brainstorming ways to better engage customers, empower agents, and adapt quickly to market changes? Then we have just the event series for you!

Avoid the holiday shopping crowds and participate with Forbes and Oracle in a free half-day learning session that includes both a CX Service Journey Mapping Workshop and an insider preview of Forbes Insights' Survey of 300+ Customer Service Executives.

You will:

Hear live from Forbes analysts as they reveal detailed results of the Customer Service Executive Survey

Discover where your company sits on the Customer Service Maturity Curve and what you can do to stay ahead

Learn how to deliver experiences that create value for your customers and help transform your business

Participants will receive a free copy of Forbes' Executive Survey Report when it is published.

Wednesday Oct 22, 2014

Our blog journey thus far has showcased the superior performance and customer satisfaction supported by configure / price / quote users within Aberdeen’s research. Let’s seal the deal with specific competencies you need to adopt when implementing your own CPQ platform. Remember, this isn’t the author compelling you to make change: Best-in-Class performers – the top 20% achievers around reps achieving quota, revenue growth and lead conversion improvements – among your peers, contemporaries, and competitors, are calling out the best practices.

Tuesday Oct 21, 2014

Want to become a Modern Customer Service organization but don't have a roadmap for getting there? Then join us for a live webcast this Thursday, October 23 at 11 am PT / 2 pm ET where Oracle customer service experts JP Saunders and Tom Cloos will help you develop your own blueprint for achieving modern customer service success.

You will learn how to align your service initiatives with your overall customer experience strategy to achieve:

JP is responsible for evangelizing Oracle Customer Experience (CX) product strategyand leading its go-to-market programs. He has been helping organizations deliver better customer experiences for two decades.

Tom Cloos, Senior Director, Client Success at Oracle

Tom is responsible for the North American Client Success Group, ensuring Oracle Customer Experience (CX) clients achieve business success by realizing the full value of their SaaS investments. Tom has been helping companies drive more business value from their technology solutions for over 20 years.